On April 19, 2024, the ASEANAPOL Secretariat conducted a courtesy visit to the office of the British High Commissioner in Kuala Lumpur. The delegation was led by Police Colonel David Martinez Vinluan, Executive Director of the ASEANAPOL Secretariat, and ASP Engku Nurul ‘Aini Engku Malek, Plans and Programmes Officer II. They received a warm welcome from Mr. David Wallace, Deputy High
Commissioner, alongside Ms. Sandeep Judge, First Secretary, Mr. Rob Pepper, Second Secretary Political at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, and Ms. Jackie Clayton, Fiscal Crime Liaison Officer.
The visit began with presentations detailing each organization's mandate and exploring potential areas for cooperation, focusing on terrorism, syndicated organized crime, and capacity-building training initiatives. Both parties highlighted the importance of designing effective and efficient training courses to meet the specific needs of ASEANAPOL Member Countries.
Executive Director Vinluan conveyed sincere gratitude towards the government of the United Kingdom and the United Kingdom National Crime Agency, a valued ASEANAPOL Dialogue Partner since 2019. Represented by Mr. Mark Brookes, UK NCA Regional Director – Asia Pacific, the UK NCA has provided several capacity-building and training programs that have significantly benefited numerous ASEAN law enforcement officers, enhancing their abilities to effectively and efficiently tackle the emerging threats of transnational organized crimes.
Additionally, the recent ASEANAPOL Fraudulent Document Workshop held at the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation (JCLEC) in Semarang, Indonesia, from March 19 to 21, 2024, marked a crucial advancement in combating transnational crimes, particularly document fraud. The workshop trained law enforcement officers from ASEANAPOL Member Countries, equipping them with the skills needed to detect and deter document fraud. Thanks to expert training by competent document examiners from the United Kingdom, participants acquired the ability to identify subtle discrepancies that are typically invisible to the untrained eye, thereby bolstering regional efforts to ensure security and counteract skilled document forgers.
The discussions during the visit were productive and set the stage for enhanced future collaboration. Both parties are looking forward to a strengthened working relationship in the coming days.
“Together We Keep This Region Safe”